The Hazards Of Human Developmental Gene Modification

http://www.councilforresponsiblegenetics.org/ViewPage.aspx?pageId=108

benchmark - a level of quality with which other things of the same type can be compared

germline - the gamete-producing cells in a sexually reproducing organism, by means of which genetic material is passed on to subsequent generations

progeny - the ​young or ​offspring of a ​person, ​animal, or ​plant

malformation - the ​condition of being ​wrongly ​formed, or a ​part of something, such as ​part of the ​body, that is ​wrongly ​formed

ramifications - the possible results of an action

fortuitous - (of something that is to ​your ​advantage) not ​planned, ​happening by ​chance

The Threat of Human Genetic Engineering

http://www.hgalert.org/topics/hge/threat.htm

eugenics - the ​idea that it is ​possible to ​improve ​humans by ​allowing only some ​people to ​produce ​children

foetus - a young human or animal that is still developing inside its mother

set out one's stall - to make the necessary arrangements for the achievement of something and show that one is determined to achieve it

infringe on - to limit someone's rights or freedom

charade - a situation which is clearly false, but where people behave as if it is true or serious

lull sb into sth - to make someone ​feel ​safe in ​order to ​trick them

dystopia - (the ​idea of) a ​society in which ​people do not ​work well with each other and are not ​happy

TED - Can Prejudice Ever Be A Good Thing?

https://www.ted.com/talks/paul_bloom_can_prejudice_ever_be_a_good_thing?language=en

bias - when you support or oppose someone or something in an unfair way because you are influenced by your personal opinions
concede - to admit that something is true, even though you do not want to

sway - to persuade someone to change their opinion or decision
go awry - to not happen in the correct way

taint - a mark or trace of something bad, rotten or evil

avenue - a possible way of doing or achieving something

apocryphal - an apocryphal ​story is ​probably not ​true ​although it is often told and ​believed by some ​people to have ​happened
impartiality - an inclination to weigh both views or opinions equally

TED - We Can Now Edit Our DNA. But Let's Do It Wisely

https://www.ted.com/talks/jennifer_doudna_we_can_now_edit_our_dna_but_let_s_do_it_wisely/transcript?language=en#t-692180

genome - the total amount of genetic information in the chromosomes of an organism, including its genes and DNA sequences.
harness - to make use of (a source of power, eg a river) for some purpose, eg to produce electricity or to drive machinery

progeny - the organism or organisms resulting from sexual or asexual reproduction

helix - something, such as a strand of DNA, having a spiral shape.
cystic fibrosis - the most common congenital disease; the child's lungs and intestines and pancreas become clogged with thick mucus; caused by defect in a single gene; no cure is known'
induce - to cause an increase in the transcription of the RNA of (a gene).
moratorium - a suspension of an ongoing or planned activity

TED - The Enchanting Music of Sign Language

https://www.ted.com/talks/christine_sun_kim_the_enchanting_music_of_sign_language/transcript?language=en#t-223180

score - a written piece of music showing all the parts for instruments and voices

utensil - a tool that you use for doing jobs in the house, especially cooking

vigilant - watching carefully and always ready to notice anything dangerous or illegal

staff - a set of horizontal lines and intermediate spaces used in notation to represent a sequence of pitches, in modern notation normally consisting of five lines and four spaces.

oblivion - the condition or quality of being completely forgotten

delve in/into/inside - to search in a container to try to find something

including society - not excluding any particular groups of people

TED - How Mars Might Hold The Secret to The Origin of Life

https://www.ted.com/talks/nathalie_cabrol_how_mars_might_hold_the_secret_to_the_origin_of_life

microbe - a minute life form; a microorganism, especially a bacterium that causes disease.
be on the brink of sth - to be in a situation where something (usually bad) is going to happen very soon
brink - the verge of an event or state
subsurface - of, relating to, or situated in an area beneath a surface, especially the surface of the earth or of a body of water.
fossil - A remnant or trace of an organism of a past geologic age, such as a skeleton or leaf imprint, embeddedand preserved in the earth's crust.
ejecta - matter thrown out of a crater by an erupting volcano or during a meteorite impact
translucence - the quality of allowing light to pass diffusely

TED - The Origins of Pleasure

https://www.ted.com/talks/paul_bloom_the_origins_of_pleasure?language=en

forgery - an illegal copy of a document, painting, etc
                - the crime of making an illegal copy of something
amicable - characterized by or exhibiting friendliness or goodwill; friendly.
imposter - someone who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive people
endowed - provided or supplied or equipped with (especially as by inheritance or nature)
audacious - extremely original or inventive; unrestrained by existing ideas, conventions
                      - extremely daring; brave; fearless.
malevolence - a desire to harm others or to see others suffer

Swearing is emotional and creative language

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2625581/Swearing-emotional-creative-language-say-researchers-claim-GOOD-you.html

in moderation - if you do something in moderation, you do not do it too much.
turn the air blue - to swear many times or use a lot of rude words, for example because you are angry. You can also say that the air turns blue if someone speaks in this way.
let off steam - to do or say something that helps you to get rid of strong feelings or energy
foul-mouthed - if someone is foul-mouthed, they use ​offensive ​language.
contraction - a strong, painful movement of the muscles that a woman has when she is having a baby

chastise - to criticize or punish someone

on the threshold of sth - at the start of a new and important time or development

TED - What is so special about the human brain?

https://www.ted.com/talks/suzana_herculano_houzel_what_is_so_special_about_the_human_brain?language=en

cognitive - relating to how people think, understand, and learn
vexing - causing irritation or annoyance; bothersome

cerebral cortex - the extensive outer layer of gray matter of the cerebral hemispheres, largely responsible for higher brain functions, includingsensation, voluntary muscle movement, thought, reasoning, and memory.
nucleus (plural; nuclei) - the central part of an atom or cell
intact - remaining sound, entire, or uninjured; not impaired in any way.
agitate - move or cause to move back and forth; shake

inflate - to cause to increase excessively; puff up; swell
trade-off - an exchange of one thing in return for another, especially relinquishment of one benefit or advantage for another regarded as moredesirable
feasible - capable of being accomplished or brought about; possible
predigest - to treat (food) by an artificial process analogous to digestion so that, when taken into the body, it is more easily digestible.
gobble up/down - to eat food very quickly

William Shakespeare and the Gentle Art of Cursing

https://mymarginalia.wordpress.com/2011/01/24/william-shakespeare-and-the-gentle-art-of-cursing/

expletive - nn exclamation or oath, especially one that is profane, vulgar, or obscene.

parlance - a particular way of speaking, or the specialized idiom of a particular group of people.

mélange - a ​mixture, or a ​group of different things or ​people.
extol - to praise highly; exalt.
prude - a person who is excessively concerned with propriety or modesty, especially in sexual matters.
innocuous - not likely to upset, offend or harm anyone
promiscuous - having casual sexual relations frequently with different partners; indiscriminate in the choice of sexual partners.

TED - Elizabeth Loftus: How reliable is your memory?

https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_loftus_the_fiction_of_memory?language=en



lawsuit - a legal complaint against someone that does not usually involve the police "file a lawsuit against someone''.
call sth up - to find and show information on a computer screen.
contaminate - to make impure or unclean by mixture or contact.
erroneous - containing or characterized by error.
outweigh - to be more important or significant than.
drum up sth - to increase interest in something or support for something.
defamation - the injuring of a person's good name or reputation.
litigation - a legal proceeding in a court; a judicial contest to determine and enforce legal rights.
cherish - to keep fondly in mind; treasure.
corraboration - confirmation that some fact or statement is true through the use of documentary evidence.

What Happens When You Die?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqOITqLfnkc

decompose - to decay; rot or putrefy.
incontinence - involuntary urination or defecation.
algor mortis - the reduction in body temperature and accompanying loss of skin elasticity that occur after death. Also called death chill.
lividity - the quality of being livid; discoloration, as of dependent parts, by gravitation of blood.
forensic - pertaining or applicable to personal injury, murder, and other legal proceedings
necrosis - pathologic death of one or more cells, or of a portion of tissue or organ, resulting from irreversible damage.
putrefaction - enzymatic decomposition, especially of proteins, with the production of foul-smelling compounds, such as hydrogen sulfide, ammoniaand mercaptans.
embalming - treatment of a dead body to retard decomposition.

The Execution of 7 Chicago Gangsters

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0214.html

bloodshed - the shedding of blood, especially the injury or killing of people.
mow sb down - to ​kill ​people, usually in ​large ​numbers, by ​shooting them or ​driving a ​vehicle into them
manhunt - an organized, extensive search for a person, usually a fugitive criminal.
to wipe out - kill in large numbers; "the plague wiped out an entire population"
massacre - the act or an instance of killing a large number of humans indiscriminately and cruelly.
to assassinate - to murder (a prominent person) by surprise attack, as for political reasons
fusillade - a discharge from a number of firearms, fired simultaneously or in rapid succession
slayer - someone who causes the death of a person or animal

Nick Cave - The Curse of Millhaven (the story of a charming murderer)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvnkTUbssbI + lyrics

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Curse of Millhaven (Murder Ballads 1996)

to bash sb's head in - to break or smash a hole in sb's head
eulogy - a laudatory speech or written tribute, especially one praising someone who has died.
state of shock - a psychological condition arising in response to a terrifying or traumatic event.
foul play - an unfair or dishonest behavior (especially involving violence; e.g. a murder)
to pronounce sb dead - to state that somebody is dead in an official or formal way (as by police)
to crucify - to put to death by nailing or binding the hands and feet to a cross.
to raze - to destroy completely, especially by fire
remorse - the feeling that you are sorry for something bad that you have done
Black Maria - a slang term for a police van used to transport prisoners

TED: A journey through the mind of an artist with Dustin Yellin

https://www.ted.com/talks/dustin_yellin_a_journey_through_the_mind_of_an_artist#t-111157


taxonomy - a classification of organisms into groups based on similarities of structure or
origin etc.
triptych - art consisting of a painting or carving (especially an altarpiece) on three panels
(usually hinged together)
resin - a sticky substance produced by certain trees (eg firs, pines) and some other plants.
androgynous - being neither distinguishably masculine nor feminine, as in dress, appearance, or behavior.
disseminate - cause to become widely known; "spread information"; "circulate a rumor"; "broadcast the news"